Newton Board of Aldermen approves CAN-DO's application for Community Preservation Act funds
On April 9, 2003, the Newton Board of Aldermen approved CAN-DO's application for Community Preservation Act funds for the Cambria Road rental project and the Christina Street city employee homebuyer project. The board approved $200,000 to reduce CAN-DO's mortgage on the Cambria Road house, which will provide apartments for two low-income families in West Newton, and $378,000 to allow the city to provide deferred loans (up to $125,000 each) to income eligible city employees to purchase three market rate units at the Highlands Glen condominiums on Christina Street in Newton Highlands.

CAN-DO / Eliot Church Fundraiser
On Sunday, November 16, 2002, the Eliot Church Outreach Program held a fundraiser featuring "An Evening with Charlie Pierce" at the home of Tom and Mary Benner, followed by a special benefit concert given by "Sharing A New Song" at Eliot Church in Newton Corner. A significant portion of the proceeds from the fundraiser were donated to fund CAN-DO's programs.

Charlie Pierce, a Newtonville resident, is best-known as a journalist
who has written for Esquire Magazine and The Boston Globe Sunday
Magazine, has appeared on the New England Cable Network and ESPN, is a regular contestant on National Public Radio's "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" and is a weekly contributor on WBUR's "Only a Game." Charlie talked and answered questions from guests about his views on sports, politics and life. Afterwards, Charlie autographed copies of his recent books, "Sports Guy" and "Hard to Forget: An Alzheimer's Story," proceeds from the sale of which he graciously donated to CAN-DO.

Sharing A New Song www.sharinganewsong.org is a community chorus founded in 1983 to promote closer relationships between peoples of different countries and cultures. Its diverse membership is drawn from the greater Boston area and includes teachers, engineers, psychologists, students, professional musicians, retired seniors, and "shower" singers, high school students and octogenarians (and everywhere in between). In trips to Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Siberia, Armenia, Estonia, Latvia, China, South Africa, and Cuba, hundreds of singers have shared experiences and created lasting friendships through music. In addition to its tours, Sharing A New Song has promoted a number of exchanges with directors, choruses, and other musical groups from many of these regions.

CAN-DO wishes to thank Charlie Pierce and his wife Margaret, Sharing A New Song, the Eliot Church Outreach Program, hosts Tom and Mary Benner and all of the guests who came out on a stormy November night for making this fundraiser such a success.

Newton Board of Aldermen approve resolution to support the National Housing Trust Fund bill
On Monday, October 21, 2002 the Newton Board of Aldermen approved a request from U-CHAN (Uniting Citizens for Housing Affordability in Newton) to petition the Massachusetts Congressional delegation to pass the National Housing Trust Fund bill. The Trust Fund will create, rehabilitate, and preserve 1.5 million units of affordable housing over the next 10 years. Seventy-five percent of the funds are targeted to households with incomes less than 30% of the median income.

Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership (MBHP)works with CAN-DO on Webster Street residence
Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership (MBHP) has been working with CAN-DO since March 2001, providing technical assistance and construction oversight on the Webster Street residence, which opened September 28, 2002. MBHP featured the opening on its website, www.mbhp.org (this opens a new browser window).

"Community housing developers such as CAN-DO face extraordinary challenges in being able to create affordable housing in higher-cost markets such as Newton," says Janet Billane, MBHP's Director of Housing Development. "We're proud to be able to contribute MBHP's expertise on such valuable projects as the Webster Street residence."

Josephine McNeil Testifies On Community Development Block GrantsBefore Congressional Subcommittee
In March 2002, Mayor David Cohen asked Josephine McNeil, Executive Director of CAN-DO, to accompany him to testify before the Congressional Subcommittee for Housing and Community Opportunity in opposition to a proposed fifty percent reduction in Community Development Block Grants for communities, like Newton, where the per capita income is twice the national average. You can read a transcript of her testimony at
http://financialservices.house.gov/media/pdf/031402jm.pdf